Human Tide
< Film
Six families. One sacred journey.
Synopsis:
Every year, one and a half million Muslims from across the world embark on the sacred pilgrimage of Hajj. HUMAN TIDE follows the deeply personal journeys of six groups of pilgrims, each with their own unique reasons for undertaking this once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Through their voices, HUMAN TIDE offers an intimate and diverse portrait of the pilgrimage, weaving together stories that begin in distant homes and culminate in Makkah. This powerful documentary reveals both the struggles and the profound transformations sparked by the journey.
Among those we meet are Yousef traveling from Sweden with his aging father Wasim in search of healing from long-term mental health struggles; Naz and Sofiha from London, whose Hajj is put in jeopardy following an unexpected call; Swaleh, a Kenyan group leader coping with the recent loss of his father; Amir and Maryam, a deaf couple from Birmingham striving to overcome barriers of communication and fear, accompanied by Amir’s brother Ahmed and his wife Huma, bringing comfort to their journey; Saima and Hamza who await life-changing news and Katumba and Jamirah from Uganda, who yearn for the gift of a child after nine years of waiting.
Filmed with rare access, HUMAN TIDE combines striking cinematic scale with moments of extraordinary intimacy. From the physical challenges of the pilgrimage to the quiet moments of prayer and reflection, the film captures both the overwhelming collective experience and the fragile personal journeys at its heart. The result is a powerful documentary that shines a light on a sacred tradition, while also revealing something universal: the shared human search for meaning, renewal, and belonging.
Red Sea Film Festival 2025 - Official Selection
“Human Tide is more than a documentary charting the movement of pilgrims across sacred ground; at its heart, it is about inner transformation and the convergence of humanity and faith.”
David Ward, Director
“The scale of it all was immense - filming across continents, languages and cultures - but what stays with me most is how everyone, from crew to contributors, came together with one purpose. That unity reflects the very spirit of Hajj itself.”
John Hay, Producer
"Pilgrimage is fundamental not just to Islam but to all of the world’s major religions, and that universality is at the heart of Human Tide. I am genuinely excited to see how audiences around the world will respond to this wonderful story.”
Donal McCusker, Producer
"For me, this film is a reflection of unity - millions moving as one, each with a personal story, yet together creating a single 'Human Tide'. To help share that story has been both a responsibility and a privilege.”
Abdulrahman Alkheraigi, Executive Producer
